WASHINGTON — DC Metrorail’s Silver Line extension to Dulles International Airport will open Nov. 15, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has announced.
The 11.5-mile, six-station extension will open about four years behind schedule, the Washington Post reports, completing a 23-mile line on which construction began in 2009. The Post notes Metro still needs a safety certification from the independent Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, but the transit agency feels confident enough that will be granted to have announced a date. It will come after 18 weeks of testing, training, and efforts toward that certification.
“The opening of Silver Line Metro service will have a major positive impact for Dulles International Airport, its passengers and the entire region,” said Jack Potter, CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which oversaw construction of the extension, and will hand full ownership over to Metro when service begins. “It will bring to fruition a transportation vision decades in the making.”
Announcement of an opening date comes little more than a week after a public dispute between Metro and the safety commission over Metrorail plans to return to service its 7000-series railcars, most of which have been sidelined for more than a year because of a wheel defect. After the safety commission turned down a Metro plan to return the cars to service, Metro went public with complaints that a lack of equipment was keeping it from starting Silver Line service to the airport for Thanksgiving. After Virginia’s two U.S. Senators intervened, the two sides worked out a plan to restore the cars to operation [see “DC Metro, safety commission reach agreement …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 26, 2022].
Never thought this would happen in my life time. Definitely will have to ride it when I get a chance.
The map was really helpful, good job.